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Thursday, 1 June 2017

New Dementia Strategy needed

A few years ago we saw the launch of the National Dementia Strategy in the UK, and many like myself thought that the Government was really going to improve the lives of those living with Dementia or caring for people with the illness.

It had pledged to spent millions on dementia in the future.

But as my wife and I found at the Launch of the Strategy, there was no new money going into the project, it was money already in the NHS.

This answer can from the Government Health minister at the time, and I confess that we were staggered

What is more, this money was not ring fenced, therefore hospitals could use the money for any project they wanted

Many people worked on this project over the years, and all had high hopes that it would succeed, but obviously the Government at the time had other ideas.

Over the years many groups have had meetings about improving services, but I am left wondering where the money went.

While some services had improved, I do feel that we should have seen more improvements around the country by now.

Like everything else in Dementia, it's down to the post code lottery, where, if you live I the right area, you get better services

This Strategy period has now finished and no one in the Government seems to be interested in a new National Dementia Strategy.

All they talk about now, is what we are calling the Dementia Tax, something that I and many others find to be a total insult in this day and age.

This is not just a tax on dementia, but also on all those with a terminal illness, people who may well need home care

So I do wonder if a new Dementia Strategy will ever happen now, because this Government pledged to spent millions on mental health last year, but this money never appeared anywhere.

I know that the cross party committee on Dementia is focused on improving the lives of those with the illness, and as someone who spoke at the launch of this I feel very proud, that they are still doing so well.

But I do feel now that the country is in such a financial mess these days, that things may well get worse before they improve.

However to put a tax on dementia or terminally ill these days is discrimination, towards those who have been inflicted with an illness they have done nothing to attract

Dementia like other terminal illnesses are devastating enough without Governments making life worse

Dementia is not self inflicted, and I have to ask why people like myself are being hit

Hospitals are full these days of people who get drunk every weekend, and then need hospital care.

These people are not taxed, and they will possibly go on to have major health problems in the future.

The Health Service Problems were caused by this and previous Governments, who failed to make sure that there was enough money in the system.

To me it seems that if the NHS is in such a mess, the next Dementia Strategy will never get off the ground, and the previous one is doomed to end before much longer.

I do feel that we must start asking our Members of Parliament or those asking for our vote, what they intend to do about the Dementia Strategy and the Dementia Tax?

Your vote counts, so please ask your MPs about this illness and the NHS